Tracy Boulian, The Plain DealerBrowns' defensive coordinator Rob Ryan reacts after a there is a flag on the play on Browns' Mike Adams during the second quarter of the game between the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals. The Browns defense is giving up 25.6 points per game this season. CLEVELAND -- Right now, Rob Ryan can't even bear to look in the mirror. When the Browns defensive coordinator does, he's filled with venom, with loathing.

"I look at myself in the mirror, and I hate me," Ryan said Friday.

He hates himself for the Browns' 1-6 record heading into Sunday's game at Chicago, he hates himself for a defense that doesn't tackle hard enough or secure enough turnovers. He hates himself for the 25.6 points per game the Browns surrender to opponents and even for the 10.3 measly points per game the Browns' offense -- for which he's not responsible -- averages.

However, that doesn't mean he thinks Browns fans should follow the advice of two lifelong fans who are organizing a protest for the Nov. 16 "Monday Night Football" game against the Baltimore Ravens. Season-ticket holder Mike Randall, aka "Dawg Pound Mike," and fellow fanatic Tony Schafer are encouraging Browns fans to refrain from taking their seats in Cleveland Browns Stadium until after kickoff.

Randall said he believes Browns fans need to send a message to ownership that changes need to happen within the organization -- that winning, stadium environment and tradition are important -- and giving the stadium an empty appearance for the start of a nationally broadcast game finally will hit home.

Friday, Ryan struck back at the protest idea with passion, and cited his faith that Browns fans wouldn't turn their backs on the team they support, no matter what the squad's record.

"This is a town that's tough and loves football," Ryan said. "Nobody's happy. I hate me, too. So, they hate me. That doesn't mean you turn your back. I've got a kid who flunked a class one time. I don't turn my back on him, I go get him a tutor and help him. Now he's a straight-A student, as far as you know.

"Bottom line is, my God, a little adversity happens, you don't turn your back. You fight, you rub your hands together and you fight harder. That's what we're going to do on defense. It starts with Chicago, not after the open week. We're not saving anything for the open week. We're going to get after it this week."

While that's encouraging news for Browns fans and for Randall in particular, he still thinks Ryan and the Browns are missing his point, again. Randall said he still wants fans to go to the game -- he's even going to the Bears game Sunday. He still will be in his traditional Dawg Pound seat for the Ravens game. Just not for the kickoff.

"If they want to say I'm a traitor and turning my back on the team, that's wrong," said Randall, a 39-year-old sports marketer from Massillon who contends he wears brown and orange every day. "That's the part they don't get."

Ryan has faith that a city that lost its NFL team in 1995 appreciates and supports the Browns even now, when the team has lost 12 of its past 13 games.

"This is Cleveland," Ryan said, after blurting an expletive. "They're going to show up and back this damn team. They're a bunch of football people who love the game, that love our sport. So, it doesn't look like we've got Jim Brown back there right now. Well, it's not easy. But we're going to keep fighting to get better.

"Our fans are great fans, and they deserve better, and we're going to give 'em better. I keep telling you that, but shoot, I believe it."

Even when it comes to facing a hard-throwing quarterback like the Bears' Jay Cutler, Ryan said he has faith the Browns defense yielding a league-worst 414.9 yards per game can make significant changes quickly.

"I'm gonna fight harder," he said. "I know that's the reaction of competitors: Go fight harder. That's the same thing I'm talking about with Cleveland people. That's Cleveland. They fight. Heck, the team was taken away at one time. You might hate us right now. But I know that damn Dawg Pound is gonna be out there. That's the strength of our team."

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